Chapter 15-Planning and Costing
Overview
The process of making multimedia.
Scheduling.
Estimating.
RFPs and bid proposals.
The Process of Making Multimedia
Idea analysis.
Pre-testing.
Task planning.
Development.
Delivery.
Idea Analysis
Before beginning a multimedia project, it is necessary to
determine its scope and content.
Balance is the key principle in idea analysis.
The aim is to generate a plan of action that will become the
road map for production.
Idea Analysis
It is necessary to continually weigh the purpose or goal
against the feasibility and the cost of production and
delivery.
This can be done dynamically by adding elements to or
subtracting elements from a project.
Additive process involves starting with minimal capabilities
and gradually adding elements.
Subtractive process involves discarding unnecessary
elements from a fully developed project.
Idea Analysis
Idea Analysis
Idea analysis involves finding answers to questions like:
Who is the intended audience? What are their needs?
What multimedia elements will best deliver the message?
What hardware, software, and storage capacity would be
required?
How much time, effort, and money would be needed?
How will the final product be distributed?
Idea Analysis
Project management software includes:
Microsoft Project.
Designer's Edge.
Screenplay System's Screenwriter and StoryView.
Outlining programs.
Spreadsheets.
Idea Analysis
CPM - Project management software typically provides
Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling functions to calculate
the total duration of a project based upon each identified
task, showing prerequisites.
PERT - Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) charts
provide graphic representations of task relationships.
Gantt charts - depict all the tasks along a timeline.
Pre-Testing
Involves defining project goals in fine detail and spelling out
what it will take in terms of skills, content, and money to
meet these goals.
Work up a prototype of the project on paper to help you
relate your ideas to the real world.
Task Planning
Task planning involves:
Designing the instructional framework.
Holding creative idea sessions.
Determining the delivery platform and authoring platform.
Assembling the team.
Building a prototype, producing audio and video, testing the
functionality, and delivering the final product.
Development
Prototype development:
Also known as a proof-of-concept or feasibility study.
Involves testing of the initial implementation of ideas, building
mock-up interfaces, and exercising the hardware platform.
Trial calculations are possible after prototyping.
A written report and an analysis of budgets allow the client
some flexibility and also provide a reality check for developers.
Development
Alpha development – At this stage, the investment of effort
increases and becomes more focused. More people get
involved.
Beta development – At this stage, most of the features of a
project are functional. Testing is done by a wider arena of
testers.
Delivery
In the delivery stage, the project is said to be "going gold.”
The concerns shift towards the scalability of the project in
the marketplace.
Scheduling
Milestones are decided at this stage.
The time required for each deliverable, that is the work
products delivered to the client, is estimated and allocated.
Scheduling is difficult for multimedia projects because
multimedia creation is basically artistic trial and error.
Scheduling is also difficult because computer hardware and
software technology are in constant flux.
Scheduling
At this stage, clients need to approve or sign off on the
work created.
Any revisions of previously approved material would require
a change order.
Scheduling
A change order stipulates that the additional cost of
revising previously approved material should be borne by
the client.
When negotiating with a client, limit the number of
revisions allowed.
Estimating
Cost estimation is done by analyzing the tasks involved in a
project and the people who build it.
The hidden costs of administration and management are
also included in the cost estimates.
A contingency rate of 10 to 15 percent of the total cost
should be added to the estimated costs.
Estimating
Time, money, and people are the three elements that can
vary in project estimates.
The time at which payments are to be made is determined
and are usually made in three stages.
Estimating
The billing rate should be equal to the total cost plus a
reasonable profit margin.
Typical billing rates for multimedia projects range from $60
to $150 an hour.
Lower rates do not necessarily imply poor quality of work;
they could rather mean lower overheads.
The demand-supply mechanisms determine the prices.
Estimating
Contractors and consultants can be hired, but they should
be billed at a lower rate.
Ensure that contractors perform the majority of their work
off-site and use their own equipment to avoid classifying
them as employees.
Estimating
The categories of expenses incurred for producing
multimedia are:
Project development costs.
Production costs.
Testing costs.
Distribution costs.
Project Development Costs
These include:
Salaries.
Client meetings.
Acquisition of content.
Communication.
Project Development Costs
These include (continued):
Travel.
Research.
Proposal and contract prep.
Overheads.
Production Costs
Production costs can further be classified as:
Management costs.
Content acquisition costs.
Content creation costs.
Graphics production costs.
Audio production costs.
Video production costs.
Authoring costs.
Testing Costs
These include:
Salaries.
Facility rental.
Printing costs.
Food and incentives.
Coop fees (payment for participation).
Editing.
Beta program.
Distribution Costs
These include:
Salaries
Documentation
Packaging
Manufacturing
Marketing
Advertising
Shipping
Estimating
Hardware:
Hardware is the most common limiting factor for realizing a
multimedia idea.
List the hardware capabilities of the end-user's platform.
Examine the cost of enhancing the delivery platform.
The most common delivery platforms require a monitor
resolution of 800X600 pixels and at least 16- bit color depth.
RFPs and Bid Proposals
Request for Proposals (RFPs):
These are formal and detailed documents from large
corporations who are "outsourcing" their multimedia
development work.
They provide information about the scope of work and the
bidding process.
They are generally not very detailed and specific.
RFPs and Bid Proposals
Bid proposals:
Should contain an executive summary or an overview.
The backbone of the proposal is the estimate and project plan,
which describes the scope of the work.
The cost estimates for each phase or deliverable milestone and
the payment schedules should also be included.
Bid proposals (continued):
Should contain the graphic and interactive goals of the project.
Prepare a brief synopsis if a project is complicated.
Lists the terms and conditions of the contract.
RFPs and Bid Proposals
RFPs and Bid Proposals
Bid proposals (continued):
The terms of a contract should include a description of the
billing rates, invoicing policy, third-party licensing fees, and a
disclaimer for liability and damages.
Design the proposal according to a client's expectations.
A proposal should appear plain and simple, yet businesslike.
RFPs and Bid Proposals
Bid proposals (continued):
A table of contents or an index is a straightforward way to
present the elements of a proposal in condensed overview.
Need analysis and description describes the reasons the
project is being put forward.
It is necessary to describe the target audience and the target
platform.
RFPs and Bid Proposals
Bid proposals (continued):
Creative strategy – This section describes the look and feel of a
project. This is useful if the reviewing executives were not
present for the preliminary discussions.
Project implementation – This section contains a detailed
calendar, PERT and Gantt charts, and lists of specific tasks with
associated completion dates, deliverables, and work hours.
Summary
Before beginning a project, determine its scope and
content.
The process of making multimedia involves idea analysis,
pre-testing, task planning, development, and delivery.
Costs related to multimedia creation are categorized as
project development costs, production costs, testing costs,
and distribution costs.